Man had gang kill girlfriend after she became a drug trafficking informant, feds say

A jury found a 36-year-old man guilty in the murder for hire of his former girlfriend after she stepped away from his drug trafficking operation and became a government informant, federal authorities say.

Now nearly six years later, Kevin Coles, of Maryland and New York, has been found guilty of various charges, including murder for hire, robbery and drug trafficking, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

In an indictment filed in court, authorities said Coles and his co-defendants had enlisted Wendy Chaney, Coles’ girlfriend, and others to assist in drug distribution. They “used and threatened to use violence to prevent those individuals from cooperating with law enforcement.”

Coles’ defense attorney declined to comment on the jury’s findings to McClatchy News.

In June 2016, when Chaney began working with the Washington County, Maryland Drug Task Force, officials say she shared information about Coles and his involvement with the operation. Her tips were provided to federal and state law enforcement.

That month, Coles began suspecting that she was working as an informant, according to court records.

In late June, officials say some of Coles’ co-defendants worked with members of the Black Guerilla Family, a “a nationwide gang engaged in criminal activities, including murder, robbery, extortion, narcotics trafficking, obstruction of justice, and witness intimidation.”

They began planning the murder of Chaney and the robbery of customer Phillip Jackson, who officials say bought controlled substances from Cole and his partner, according to the indictment.

It was agreed that the gang members, and some others, would travel from Baltimore to a barn on Jackson’s property in Pennsylvania, according to the new release. One of Coles’ partners would get Chaney to the farm.

“The killers were promised that they could take as payment $20,000 that was to be in a safe in the barn and any drugs and firearms that they could locate on the Jackson property,” officials said. “Once there, the killers encountered not only Wendy Chaney but also Brandon Cole and Phillip Jackson. All were murdered to prevent them from cooperating and from being witnesses to the crimes of violence that were committed at that time. The killers never found any money on the property.”

Pennsylvania State Police officers found Chaney, 39; Cole, 47; and Jackson, 36; had been killed when they responded to the barn on June 25, officials said.

“The three victims had their hands zipped-tied behind their backs and had been set on fire. Jackson and Cole were shot once in the head,” officials said. “Chaney was shot twice, once in the back and one in the head. (She and Cole) were already dead when the police responded to the scene. Jackson was transported to York Hospital where he died shortly after arrival.”

Officials said Coles was arrested in July 2016 in connection with narcotics trafficking offenses and was later found to be involved in the killings.

“This is one of the most disturbing and violent cases in this Division’s history. The fact that all three victims were shot in the head with their hands restrained and then set on fire shows how utterly deplorable these murders were,” said Thomas Hodnet, a special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Coles was the one who contracted for these murders to occur due to Chaney’s cooperation with the DEA.

“Let me be clear; anyone who attempts to intimidate, harm, or murder a witness will feel the full wrath and weight of a federal criminal prosecution.”

Coles is also accused of trafficking “significant amounts of heroin and crack cocaine,” brandishing and discharging a firearm during drug trafficking activities and contributing to the “serious bodily injury” of two people who overdosed on heroin he had supplied.

The jury found him guilty on all counts following a three-week trail and three-hour deliberation.

He is scheduled to be sentenced in September, and officials say he faces mandatory life imprisonment.

More than 10 others have been charged in connection with this investigation, many of whom have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing.

This story was originally published May 2, 2022 at 9:27 AM with the headline "Man had gang kill girlfriend after she became a drug trafficking informant, feds say."